Click photo to play
Length: 1:58
LOU DOBBS: The Iraqi
prime minister today met with tribal leaders from Al
Anbar Province, trying to win their support in the
war against Al Qaeda. The meeting reflects rising
concern about the direction of the military campaign
in Al Anbar Province. A recent Marine Corps
intelligence report saying the United States has
already lost the political battle to defeat the enemy
there. Michael Ware, who has been recently with the
U.S. Marines in Al Anbar now reports from Baghdad --
Michael.
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lou, Iraqi Prime
Minister Nouri Al Maliki has met with the leaders of
16 tribes vowing to fight against Al Qaeda domination
of their western province. Whilst this is being
hailed as a step forward, this has been seen before.
And these 16 tribal figures only represent relatively
powerless sub-tribes, which are already the subject
of an intense assassination and car bomb campaign by
Al Qaeda.
However, this is the model that the U.S. military is
hoping will work to drive a wedge between Sunni
insurgents and communities in this province and Al
Qaeda. A senior coalition military intelligence
official today said that this template has worked in
other western towns. By empowering the local tribes,
this official says, the U.S. has seen the towns
reclaimed by the Iraqis and retaken from Al Qaeda.
And there has since been a campaign launched by these
tribes of targeted assassinations against Al Qaeda
leaders in their area. Nonetheless, with 30,000
troops in this province, the Marine general in
command says he does not have enough men at his
disposal to win against this Al Qaeda-lead insurgency
at this point -- Lou.
DOBBS: Michael Ware reporting from
Baghdad.